SEVEN Irish courses, led by Royal Co Down, have been included in the world’s top 100 in the acclaimed Golf Magazine.

PÁDRAIG Harrington continues to confuse and confound. One week he’s telling us ‘there will no more tinkering with my swing’ but now two days before he bids to win the Open Championship for the third successive year, he talks of ‘little changes’ which have followed from consultations with swing coach Bob Torrance.

THE 30th player in this week’s Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond will receive in excess of €30,000, comfortably more than the total prize fund of €26,000 on offer in the Irish PGA Championship which starts at the European Club in Co Wicklow this morning.

AN event that’s hardly on the professional golf radar this week offers Pádraig Harrington his last chance of redemption before heading for Turnberry in search of a third successive British Open Championship.

PÁDRAIG HARRINGTON has just over a fortnight before he defends his British Open title but the struggling triple Major winner declared there is no turning back from the changes he is introducing into his game.

PORTMARNOCK has been voted Ireland’s premier golf course by Irish Golf Digest magazine.

CONFIRMATION of Pádraig Harrington’s playing schedule in upcoming weeks has brought both delight but also disappointment to fans and tournament organisers on both sides of the Irish Sea.

Hurling great Davy Fitzgerald grabbed a shock win over Newlands’ Cian Curley in the South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at Lahinch today.

EUROPEAN Tour golf of the highest standard has been a constant in Ireland since 1975 when the Irish Open was revived after a 23 year gap.

Holywood's Rory McIlroy and Portmarnock veteran Adrian Morrow share the clubhouse lead in the Golfsure Irish Amateur Close Championship at the European Club.

Defending champion Rory McIlroy has set his sights on Tiger Woods' course record in the Irish Close at the European Club.

GERARD O’TOOLE’S comments, reported elsewhere in this issue, that he would like to see next year’s Nissan Irish Open played on a links course in the Dublin area, will arouse speculation about where the country’s flagship tournament will take place — that is, if at this point seems quite likely, Portmarnock is ruled out of the equation for a variety of reasons.

TOM CLEARY birdied the first tie hole at Doneraile last evening to win a hat-trick of senior scratch cup successes at the County Cork club.

DAVID DUVAL and Tiger Woods are friendly enough to spend the week before the Open Championship holidaying, golfing and fishing together in Ireland.